The Forgotten Dream
by Regnig-oftheblackforest
Summary: What happens when you outgrow your childhood fantasies?


A/N: This is my response to The 'Return' challenge on the Reviewers of the Underground forum. Please enjoy!

**_The Forgotten Dream_**

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The bright afternoon sun filtered through the filthy attic window of the Mateo house. Sarah Williams-Mateo flung it open, and breathed in the crisp autumn air. It mingled pleasantly with the warm, musty air of the the small, dark, dusty room. Sarah smiled to herself, and grabbed her broom to resume her sweeping.

"Sarah, how's it coming?" her husband called from downstairs, "Do you need any help?"

"No thanks, Mark. Just keep taking Gwen's things down to the van."

"All right, just be sure to watch that low beam, honey. If you walk into it, it's gonna sting like big blue heck."

Sarah knew this full well, she had already had a few near misses with the beam. She swept her considerable dust pile over into a corner near the door, and began moving the boxes that were littering the attic floor, piling them against a wall. The boxes were dusty, and a fresh layer of dust was forming on the floor.

"Damn, I knew I should have swept last," she muttered, dropping the box in her hands. It burst open, and Sarah took a quick glance inside. It was a box full of things from her youth, brought over from her parent's house when they had sold it five years ago. She crouched down beside it, and began rifling through it. She found some old, faded photographs of her family, some including her mother, others featuring her stepmother and Toby. There was and old diary, it's pages filled with the silly imaginings of a teenage girl, a crumpled tiara, made from ribbon and little white silk flowers, and a cracked silver mirror. She looked into it, flashing back to her seventeenth birthday, when she had received it as a gift from Emmett, her first boyfriend.

She saw something move behind her in the mirror. She whirled around, but to her surprise, there was no one there.

'Weird,' she thought, dropping the mirror back into the box. "Honey, did you just come up?" she called.

"No, I haven't moved. Are you ready for Gwen's things yet?"

"Almost, just a few more boxes to move," she called back. She got to her feet, and continued moving and stacking. She finally reached the last box, and quickly went to add it to her stack.

Suddenly, she felt herself falling, her world a blur. She was floating, the air around her growing cold. She could taste bile in her mouth, her stomach was heaving. She closed her eyes, desperately trying to relieve her sickness. Then, all at once, it stopped. She slammed into the ground.

She lay there for a moment, vibrating from her crash. A cool breeze blew across her face, and she opened her eyes. She sat up, and took in her surroundings. She was no longer in her attic, but on a hilltop over looking a vast, misty valley, a dreary cloudy sky above her. The grass was tall, rough jagged rocks jutting out all around. Sarah shivered in spite of herself. This barren place creeped her out, and yet, it seemed familiar, somehow.

She carefully got to her feet, and started down the hill. Thunder rumbled above her as she carefully made her way through the waist height weeds. She reached the bottom, and she noticed something odd. It looked like a wall, or what was left of it. She ran to inspect it, but felt herself falling once again. She had the wind knocked out of her as her stomach hit a sharp corner, her long legs in a pit. Sputtering for breath, she crawled out, and laid down on the grass.

She turned to look at the hole she had fallen into. It was square, and made of grey stone. The grass around it hid it nearly completely from passersby. She thought that at one point, this might have been a fountain. A vision came to her mind, the fountain full, and a little man relieving himself into it. She shook it away. Where on earth had that come from?

She got back up, and kept walking towards the wall, this time watching her step. She reached the wall, weathered and ivy covered. It only stood about three feet high, but she could tell from the number of similar, crumbling stones that were laying around that it had once stood much taller. She carefully stepped over the wall, only to find the remnants of another wall barely two feet away. 'That's odd,' she thought, stepping over this wall as well. Once over she found another. The mist began to rise, and she stood absolutely in awe at what she saw.

Thousands of these moldering wall, fallen and weathering, stretching out as far as she could see. "Oh my lord," she gasped. Something had once been here, something huge. The biggest building in the world. She went on, stepping over and around the stone structures. Thistle bushes and high grassed grew out of the cracks in the stone floor. They rustled in the cold, damp wind that had suddenly picked up.

She came to a clearing, a place where the walls had weathered away completely. Tiny brown mice scurried about, one ran across her shoe. She kicked them away, and knelt down to inspect the stone floor. Another vision flashed through her head, of herself in this same position, drawing an arrow on the ground with a tube of lipstick to mark her progress.

The sound of a twig snapping behind her brought her back to her senses. She had the sudden feeling that she was being watched. She looked around, but she couldn't see anyone.

"Hello?" she called, but her only response was the wind whistling through the grass. She got back to her feet, and continued on her way.

She was shivering in the cold, and the thunder rumbled above her. She began to pick up her pace. She had to find some sort of shelter, or she was going to get very wet. She could see the ruins of a structure in the distance, maybe she could hide there until the storm stopped.

She wondered where she was, and how she came to be there. This place felt so familiar, and yet, it didn't feel like anywhere on earth.

Sarah heard someone moving behind her again, and whipped around to catch whomever it was, but once again, she found herself to be very much alone. She could still feel someones eyes on her, and she felt very uneasy now. She decided to prove to herself that it was all in her head, and called out, "I know you're there! Show yourself!"

She had to shield her eyes as the wind blew harder, and there was the smell of rain wafting through the air. She looked up when it stopped, and saw a man standing there. He was tall and handsome, but his face was seemed drawn and weathered as the stones all around them. His hair was long and snow white. It flew everywhere, and rippled in the breeze. There was an awkward silence between Sarah and this man. She couldn't help but stare at him, he was so familar, even more so than this place.

"I know you..." she said uncertainly. His hard face broke into a most unpleasant smirk, and his eyebrow rose.

"Do you now? _Sarah_..." he hissed.

"You're... you're..." she stammered, trying desperately to recall just who he was. She flashed back to thirty years prior, to a dark, floating platform, and a confrontation between her... and him... then it hit her. "You're the Goblin King."

"I'm pleased you remember me, Sarah. But I do wonder, just what are you doing back in my kingdom? You've already destroyed it, and all my subjects, what more can you take from me?" he said, his voice dripping with venom.

"Your kingdom? Then this is..."

"This is what's left of my Labyrinth, you foolish girl. Well, not such a girl anymore. You've become a woman," he said coldly, "the years haven't been very kind to either of us." She sputtered indignantly. Sure, she had a few wrinkles, and her hair was beginning to turn grey, but she was still fairly pleased with what she saw in the mirror each day.

"This is the Labyrinth? It can't be, the Labyrinth isn't real, it's just a story," she said, backing away from him. He looked wickedly amused, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on her.

"Yes, you've convinced yourself of that, Sarah, but it's as real as you or me. You make it real."

She stared at him in disbelief at him. The terror that had haunted her childhood dreams, the Labyrinth... she was here. And if this place was real, if he was real, then her friends... were they too real?

"Where are my friends, Goblin King?" she asked. He looked at her for a moment, then turned his head away and stared into the distance.

"I am all that remain," he said simply.

"What happened to them? What happened to all of this?" she asked, gesturing around her.

"This is what happens to dreams when they're forgotten. They fall apart, everything disappears. I am all that remains of the once strong and beautiful dream of a once strong, beautiful girl," he said, his eyes shining with sadness. She felt sick, and wanted to run away, but she seemed rooted to the ground. She was unable to tear her eyes away from the withered, sullen man before her.

There was another clap of thunder, and the Goblin King turned his gaze to the sky. "We're in for a storm. Come with me to my castle, you can stay with me until it's over. He stepped forward, seized her hand, and started leading her towards the ruins in the center. Sarah was absolutely aghast at the state of the Labyrinth. She had long ago put it into the furthest corner of her mind to make room for other dreams, dreams for her future, for her family. Her heart was heavy with regret. Had she really come back to this place? And why was she here, anyway? Was she being punished for something? Then a horrible thought crossed her mind.

"Goblin King?" she asked cautiously.

"Really Sarah, you're no longer a frightened child, cowering before a greater power. You may call me Jareth," he said, pulling her along.

"Jareth then. Am I... am I dead?"

"Now that's an interesting question. Perhaps you are. Perhaps you and I are both dead. Died and gone to..."

"I'd hardly call this Heaven!" she said forcefully. He just chuckled, and tightened his grip on her hand.

"I wasn't going to say Heaven."

The color drained from Sarah's face. He turned his head to look at her, and seemed pleased at her horror.

"But no, I suppose Hell isn't suited for one such as you. And besides, I think I'd know if I'd died. I've been waiting for death to claim me for a very long time," he said thoughtfully. They reached the center of the Labyrinth, and Sarah gazed in revulsion at the remains of the castle. The stone structured seemed to have collapsed into itself. He pulled her through a drapery, and into a small warm room, just as the rain started to pour down.

She looked around at the cramped space, made of several walls that had fallen into an arch shape. He shut the curtain covering the entrance, and she was plunged into darkness. She could hear him shuffling past her, and then the room was flooded with light as he lit a fire in a fire place that made up the back wall. He swept his arms out in a grand gesture, and said, his voice full of mirth, "Welcome to my castle, Sarah."

He sat on a makeshift bed, and motioned for her to do the same. She did, slowly, not daring to take her eyes off of him. His eyes flickered up to her forehead. "Oh Sarah, you're hurt," he whispered.

"Hurt? No, I'm fine..." she said, as he grabbed her head, and pulled her closer. He gently kissed her forehead, and released her head. He now turned his gaze to her left hand, and noticed for the first time the gold band on her ring finger. His eyes narrowed, his eyebrows furrowed.

"You're married?" he asked. She nodded, taking no notice of the anguish in his face.

"Yes, for twenty two years."

"You have... children?"

"Yeah, two daughters, Gwen and Ella. Why do you ask?"

"I pity them for losing you," he said.

"Losing me? They haven't lost me! I'm going to find a way back!" she squealed.

"No, you shall remain here. Fate brought you back to me for a reason, Sarah. Together, you and I shall rebuild my kingdom to it's former glory," he said, drawing a little closer. She jumped up, and backed away. He smirked at her.

"I'm not staying, I can tell you that, buddy! You're not even real!"

"You make me real, love. Your belief in me is what makes me and my kingdom real. This is your dream, Sarah. This time don't let it go. Rebuild it with me, Sarah. Stay... please don't push me to the back of your thoughts to die, Sarah," he pleaded. She closed her eyes, and tried to block out his words.

"Sarah, all this destruction is your doing. You've committed a terrible crime to the Labyrinth, Sarah, you must pay the price..."

"It's not my fault! I didn't do anything wrong!" she insisted, still keeping her eyes shut,"I just grew up!"

"Growing up is no excuse, Sarah. Never let go of your dreams, Sarah... it causes destruction, heartbreak."

"No, no, no..." she moaned, her eyes still wrenched shut.

"Sarah... Sarah... Sarah... open your eyes..."

"No!"

"Open your eyes, Sarah..."

"Never!"

"Sarah... Sarah... Sarah, please open your eyes..." his voice changed, it became less silky, less venomous. It turned rougher, got a bit more grit. She suddenly felt a sharp pain in her forehead. She opened her eyes, and found herself staring into the dark blue eyes of her husband.

"Mark?" she asked, sitting up. Her head hurt like crazy. Mark held her close.

"Sarah, are you all right?"

"What happened?" she said, looking around the dim attic.

"You walked into that low beam. I told you to be careful..." he said teasingly.

"I'm home..."

"Of course you're home silly! Where else would you be?"

"I... I don't know..." she said uncertainly. He helped her to her feet, and lead her downstairs. Her daughters ran to her.

"Oh my god, Mom, are you all right?" Ella, her sixteen year old exclaimed.

"I'm fine, I'm fine..." she muttered, pushing her husband off her,"Let's get Gwen's things up stairs." She meandered into her daughter's room, and grabbed a box.

It didn't take the family long to take the five boxes and bed frame up to the attic. When they were done, Ella and her father went back down, Ella chattering excitedly about the plans she had for her room now that Gwen was moving out. Sarah was left alone with her twenty one year old daughter.

"So Mom, can you believe I'm moving out?" the pretty, dirty blonde girl said, looking around the small room. Sarah shook her head.

"No, it still seems like just yesterday that I brought you home from the hospital," she said, fighting her tears. Gwen smiled, and embraced her mother. "Gwen, I want you to promise me something."

"What's that, Mom?"

"Never let go of your dreams. Let new ones form, but never give up the old ones. You'll only destroy yourself."

Gwen released her mother, and gave her an odd look. Blue eyes met green, and the gaze held for a time. Then Gwen smiled, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I won't Mom. I promise." And with that, she ran back downstairs. Sarah went to follow her, but something on the floor caught her eye. She looked, and saw a small red book laying on the floor. She picked it up, and read the faded gold lettering on the cover.

THE LABYRINTH

She smiled, and clutched the little book to her chest. She slowly descended the stairs, and then slammed the door behind her.

As the door shut, a white barn owl flew out of the rafters, out the window, and into the bright sun.

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A/N: Look for this story to appear in the Reviewers of the Underground anthology, _**When Will You Return**_?

Please leave your reviews there, and enjoy the other stories by other talented authors. Join the Review Revolution!


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